


The Duchess

by slovinglecter



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Jeffrey Dean Morgan - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-27
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-07 18:25:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11629317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slovinglecter/pseuds/slovinglecter
Summary: She hated him, for everything he had done to them, the damage he had caused, the suffering and pain he had left behind. She hated him… Didn’t she? Emilia comes face to face with the leader of the Saviors and is confronted with his true nature, which in turn has her questioning her own.





	1. Chapter 1

Summary: She hated him, for everything he had done to them, the damage he had caused, the suffering and pain he had left behind. She hated him… Didn’t she? Emilia comes face to face with the leader of the Saviors and is confronted with his true nature, along with her inability to stop thinking about him. 

Warning/s: Eventual smut, slow burner, profanity/swearing, graphic descriptions of violence.

Pairing: Negan/OC

A/N: This is something I began writing at the start of series 7, but never had the guts to post it. I’ve never posted my writing on tumblr before, only fanfiction.net, so be gentle with me.

Part One

She hadn’t been there when they had lost Abraham and Glenn, when they were so brutally confronted with the Saviors and their leader, but the stories had been enough. Carl had told her, word for word everything that had happened and she could almost hear his voice in her head.

Negan

She hadn’t met him but Carl’s description had been so detailed, the hatred in his eyes as he spoke, not realising tears tracked their way down from his one good eye as he recalled the scene.

Are we pissing our pants yet?

She hated him.

She didn’t even know him, but she hated him with such a passion it felt all consuming. Abraham had been such a good guy, and Glenn… Poor Maggie.

It hurt too much to think about and so she shut it out and kept herself busy. She couldn’t imagine how they had endured the pain, how Rick had done what he had. He seemed hollow now, empty, but that hadn’t lessened her respect for him. If anything it had made it grow. He refused to allow his pride to get in the way, to let his ego be the reason for more death.

Daryl.

She rubbed at her chest with her knuckles as it ached in pain. She missed him.

She hadn’t been with their group for as long as some of the others, but they had let her in all the same, welcomed her as one of their own. After the initial suspicion had worn off of course.

They didn’t understand how she had survived on her own in an unfamiliar land, but this was home now, these people were home and she was damned if she’d lose any more of them to some sick psychopath with a baseball bat.

She hadn’t been there when they’d lost two of their best, but she had witnessed their return. There was no other word for it… They had been broken.

Maggie was gone, Sasha had accompanied her for medical aid to The Hilltop and she marvelled at the strength of her friends. Maggie had lost her husband, the father of her child and yet she remained so strong. She wished she could be with them, supporting her friend.

But she was needed here.

Judith needed her.

It was a mark of Rick’s trust in her that she was the one to protect the infant. She had found Alexandria shortly before Rick had arrived but didn’t belong with the people who already lived here. They were so sheltered and naive. She had been out there, alone… Well, almost.

Logan was her only companion since it had started and she envied them their bubble of denial, hated them for it- almost.

Daryl had understood. For weeks he had refused to even go inside the buildings. That was when they had become friends, camping outside together as he told her about his brother, about Beth, about everything they had lost. Daryl’s acceptance and trust had opened the door to Rick’s group. They were selective about who they trusted, it was still very much an us/them situation with the Alexandrians. But she felt that she belonged with Rick’s group, people who had seen the world for what it was now, who had fought to survive.

She smiled to herself as she remembered Daryl approaching the subject of teaching her to fight, he hadn’t known at that point that she hadn’t been in Alexandria since the beginning. She had decided to allow him his chivalry, until during the training he had grabbed her from behind and her self defence training had kicked in. He landed flat on his backside and laughed, hard.

It was the first time anyone had heard him laugh since they’d lost Beth…

She shook herself from her reverie as the pain in her chest increased. She missed her friend, her brother, just as Rick did.

But for now they were scavenging, trying to find anything they could to give to the ‘Saviors’ so that no one else died. It had been a few days since their return and Rick was almost always out on supply runs, as was everyone who was able. She had been asked to protect Judith, she had only nodded as she met Rick’s eyes, she could see the plea in there. With her came Logan, he was forever at her side and before she had met Rick’s group thought he was the only companion she’d ever need.

She cooed at Judith as the girl grabbed a fist of her hair in her chubby little hand, persuading her to let go as she bounced her on her hip. Logan watched from his seat beside her cot, his head tilting and those large pointed ears twitched as he became aware of the approaching noise before she did. She looked out the window as she finally heard the sound of vehicles pull up. Large ones. She heard the hiss of air as the brakes squeaked against the heavy load of the vehicles they were stopping.

Quickly she placed Judith in her cot and shushed her softly as she began to whine at being put down. She looked at Logan, placing one hand out in front of her in the universally known sign for ‘stay’, he understood. His two large front paws shifted forward as he laid beside Judith’s cot and placed his head upon them, his amber eyes watching her carefully.

“Good boy.” She mumbled softly as she backed out of the room, being sure to lock the door behind her and secure the key in her inner jacket pocket. She knew Judith was safe with Logan, should anyone try to force their way in they’d soon regret it. She made her way downstairs and outside.

She had been right. Three lorries were making their way through the gates and strange men were infiltrating houses. Her fists clenched hard as she watched the bewildered expressions of the Alexandrians as their possessions were removed from their houses.

Her gaze moved over the gathered crowds and found Rick. Dangling from his fingertips, almost brushing the concrete was a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire. Her heart froze in her chest as she heard a deep, authoritative voice.

“We really are reasonable people when you get to know us! Honest.”

Her eyes quickly found him, he was hard to miss. Tall and broad shouldered with thick dark hair and a salt and pepper beard. He even had his back to Rick as he bent down into a cooler to remove a can of pop, completely unfazed that he’d left himself vulnerable to a man who despised him. Cocky son of a… She watched Rick for a moment, waiting. A beat, he only stood with his head bowed submissively, looking at the ground. She swallowed the resentment she felt building and ascended the steps, deliberately bashing her shoulder against the tubby man who waddled his way up, clearly making his way to the kitchen as he leered at her. He stumbled and she smirked as she watched him right himself. She was already passed him before he had time to retaliate.

As she approached she saw a figure stood behind both Rick and him. She hadn’t noticed before but it was like a swift punch to the gut when she realized who it was. She faltered in her step toward them as she looked him over. What had they done to him?

Rick saw her first and his eyes widened in alarm as he glanced to Negan. But it was too late, the man in question let out a low whistle as he saw her. She didn’t look at him though, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from Daryl who looked overcome as he too bowed his head, his stringy hair swinging forward to hide his bruised face.

“Well, well what have we got here!” His voice was gravelled and deep and it shot right through to her core. It was clear to everyone the excitement in his tone. “Just when I thought this place couldn’t get any better! And what is your name beautiful?”

Her eyes remained glued to Daryl.

Negan clearly disliked being ignored for he stepped up close to her and angled his shoulders to the right, following her gaze to the man who was like a brother to her.

“Nuh-uh-uhh sweetheart. You weren’t there at the gate when I laid down the rules so i’ll repeat them for you, just this once. You do not look at him, you do not talk to him, do I make myself clear?”

She said nothing, only ground her teeth together as her fists clenched. Her eyes darted to Rick who nodded once. She lowered her gaze, biting the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood to stop herself from lashing out and doing something stupid.

“There’s a good girl, now I wont ask again. What is your name?” His breath fanned across her face and the smell of whisky and peppermint followed. Rage boiled inside her as he chuckled richly, clearly enjoying her anger as he observed her clenched fists and trembling shoulders.

“Go fuck yourself.” Both Daryl and Rick’s eyes shoot between her and Negan in concern, she wasn’t afraid of him and met his dark eyes head on. He rocked backward and turned around to Rick, glee apparent as a wide grin stretched across his face.

“Ho-oly fuck.” He exclaimed. “Where have you been hidin’ her? Do my ears deceive me, or is that a British accent I hear?” He feigned a shiver and rolled his shoulders in excitement. “I’m gettin' all kinds of aroused just thinking about the fun we could have darlin’, though you still haven't told me your name.”

She grit her teeth together hard and stared him down, he tilted his head as he stepped closer, pressing against her and she had to tilt her head back so she could keep her eyes locked with his, he was so much taller than her.

“Well, now aint you a little firecracker.” He lowered the tone of his voice, somehow it was both threatening and suggestive as he continued. “Be careful with how you lookin’ at me sweetheart, that glare is gonna have me thinkin’ you either wanna fuck me or kill me.” He smiled at her charmingly, his tongue passing over his teeth once, his face was so close to hers that she was sure he would feel her heart pounding in her chest.

“I can assure you it’s the latter.” She said, not backing down an inch, though feeling somewhat irritated at how her accent became more pronounced in her fury. He laughed and ran his tongue across his bottom lip, he turned to look at Rick, apparently mouthing the word ‘Wow!’ before looming over her again.

“I’m really tryin’ here so i’d appreciate it if you’d do the same. I’m not sure I could be angry with you, especially when you talk in that sexy fucking accent…” A warning coated his tone now, the danger shot sparks up her spine and she felt her heart race. “However if you continue to be rude we might see how angry I can really get. And Lucille here…” He swung the bat upward so that the barbed wire end became visible in her peripheral vision.

“Emilia, stop.” Rick’s voice was commanding and worried, it was enough for her to reluctantly drop her eyes and Negan chuckled again, his voice rich with innuendo.

“Emilia huh? He-lloo Emilia. I’m Negan.” He took a step back and offered her his hand, his eyes alight with enjoyment as he watched her struggle with herself. One glance at Daryl and his condition was enough, she couldn’t have him suffering for her pride. She forcefully put her hand in his, noting with disgust he hadn’t offered the glove clad hand, so her skin made contact with his. She’d expected his hand to be cold, as cold and dead as his heart, but it threw her when she made contact with warm, slightly roughened skin.

He grinned broadly with uncontrollable delight and bent forward over her hand. She felt revulsion crawl up her spine as he placed his lips against her knuckles, his beard lightly scratched the skin there.

“See, I know how to respect a lady!” He straightened and she tried to pull her hand from his grip, but he wouldn’t let her, his much larger hand enveloped hers and his thumb caressed a recent split in one of her knuckles. It stung but she was glad for that. It reminded her of who this was.

“Negan!” A voice called and the man in question licked his lips one last time as his eyes ran over her from head to toe, before he finally released her hand and turned to his man.

“This is something you might wanna see.” The shorter man passed him the video camera Deanna had used to record their interviews. Negan turned his attention to Rick again now and she felt grateful for the momentary reprieve. He stepped away from her to taunt their leader, Rick’s voice came from the small device, his voice sounding muffled as it crackled through the speakers.

“I would not have messed with that guy.” Negan goaded, raising the camera and leaning back to make sure he captured the broken man Rick now appeared to be. “But that’s not you anymore… is it? Nope!”

He swung the camera around and now she was his focus again, he circled her before taking a lock of her brunette hair and twirling it around his gloved finger.

“And what about you darlin’, you on here too? Fuck you look almost as good on camera as you do in real life. Look at that mouth.” She heard the mechanisms in the camera moving as he zoomed in on her lips and she bit her lower lip furiously, trying to restrain herself from saying something she would regret. “Shit… Are you trying to give me a hard on? Cause I think it’s working… Do that again for me.”

“Stop.” Ricks voice saved her again and Negan turned on the spot, shutting the camera and pocketing it as he approached the other man.

“Careful…” Negan intoned, his light, sing-song tone conflicting with the threat of his words. He stooped and lowered his head to meet Rick’s gaze head on. His body language screamed dominance and her heart sped up as Rick glared back.

“Careful how you lookin’ at me Rick.”


	2. Part 2

Part 2

Rick dropped his eyes and Negan straightened, clapping his hands together in glee as he looked around at their haul and winking at her as his eyes passed over her again.

“Whatever happened to that sick girl? It seemed like a hell of a stressful night for her. The way she was carrying on she was married to number two right?” Rick’s fingers clenched around the baseball bat as Negan continued to bait him. Enjoyment lighting is dark eyes as he relished in Rick’s reaction.

“Widows, especially ones that look like that… They are special. I love ‘em. Right after their husbands go they’re just empty inside.” He turned to look at Emilia again before he continued, his tongue flicked out to wet his lips, his tone was suggestive. “But usually not for lo-ong.”

“Where is she?” He laughed, his eyes carefully observing her, almost as though he was hoping from a reaction from her. “I would love to see her.”

“Would you care to pay your respects?” He broke his gaze from her to spin, turning to see Father Gabriel.

“Holy crap! You are creepy as shit, sneaking up on me wearing that collar with that creepy ass smile.” He looked at Rick, his face suddenly solemn as he connected the dots and asked “She didn’t make it?”

Emilia remained rooted to the spot as they left to ‘pay their respects’, Negan threw one last look at her over his shoulder, flashing her that pearly white smile. It was a clever ruse of Gabriel’s, but she still didn’t like him, didn’t trust him. He made her skin crawl almost as much as Negan did…

She made her way back to the house, she needed to check on Judith. Her heart was still pounding in her chest and she was almost oblivious to her surroundings until a gunshot rung out from below her. She froze and waited, praying Judith wouldn’t cry out at the noise. A moment passed in silence and she made her choice, knowing the child was safe with Logan she took the stairs two at a time and went back down to see Carl in the living room, his gun raised at two of Negan’s men.

Negan was first in the front door, however he paused upon seeing her on the final step and his eyes travelled her body as Rick brushed passed him, not even noticing her as he entered the living room.

“He-llo again, beautiful.” He whispered, that smirk was on his face again as he placed his hands in his pockets and licked his lips. “If you’ll excuse me, Milady. Duty calls.” He whispered the last part, pointing to the doorway with his gloved hand before he mockingly bowed and entered the room, just as Rick was begging Carl to lower the weapon.

She heard the exchange but tried to tune it out. She needed to focus, she refused to admit his charm was affecting her. She was used to scumbags, to lowlife men who thought they could get into her pants however they chose. Him though. His manner disarmed her and also put her back up. She didn’t know where she stood with him and that frightened her more than she cared to admit.

When she came back to herself she heard Negan tell Rick he wanted all their guns, she closed her eyes and cursed Carl and his impulsive nature. They’d never know now if they’d have been able to keep any, if he would have even asked for them before this moment had occurred. As they made their way out of the house she got another one of those looks from Negan and her grip tightened on the handrail as he chuckled.

Once they were gone she took a moment to check on Judith. Who, miraculously, was still fast asleep with one chubby arm extended through the wooden bars to grip Logan’s black fur tightly. The canine lifted his head as she entered and she took a step forward to pet him on the head once before she locked the door behind her again and made her way to the lockup. She wouldn’t hide inside and let him hurt anyone and if Judith hadn’t needed watching she’d have taken Logan too, his presence at her side had always bolstered her courage, not to mention made everyone else shit their pants when they saw him.

She’d got him as a pup from a farm where the farmer’s bitch regularly wandered the fields and had ended up pregnant. The farmer had guessed with some wild dog or neighbours pet as he didn’t have a male. Logan was the only pup who had survived the litter of three and the farmer didn’t have the time or inclination to raise him, she’d fallen in love with the small fluffball as soon as she’d laid eyes on him. Though he’d soon grown out of that stage and fast, his mother had been a pure bred black German Shepherd so she’d known he’d be large, but as he’d grown bigger she began to believe the farmers dog had mated with a coyote or wolf, his build was all muscle and his head came up to her stomach when they stood side by side. She wasn’t exactly tall, standing at 5 foot 3 most people eclipsed her in height, but with Logan at her side she felt 10 feet tall.

He’d been invaluable to her and when the apocalypse had begun, she was terrified of losing him to walkers, but he had the natural instincts of a predator and this world suited him more than that of a house pet. The first time he’d ripped the throat out of a walker she was terrified she’d lose him, he must have swallowed so much of the rotten blood she was sure he’d be infected.

But he never turned, never died, and had watched her back and saved her life on more than one occasion.

She would have loved to see the faces of Negan’s men when confronted with him, but he was where he needed to be.

It would seem she had perfect timing for when she arrived Negan was towering over Rick again, she caught the tail end of their conversation.

“But what I really wanna know is if we’re gonna find all the guns back there or if maybe you’ve got a few just… waiting for their moment. Just like my Lucille.”

“They’re all in there, to the best of my knowledge.” Rick said, turning his face away from Negan whilst the baseball bat still hung from his fingertips.

Those dark eyes captured her as he smirked, the tips of his teeth showing. “Mmm! I am countin’ on that Rick.” He swiftly turned around leaving Rick standing alone, she approached her leader and looked down at the bat with disgust. Rick followed her gaze and his jaw flexed as he ground his teeth together in frustration. She placed a hand on his bicep, trying to offer what little comfort she could. She understood what he was doing, why he was going along with Negan’s games and Rick raised his icy blue eyes to hers and she could see the thanks in his gaze. She smiled at him softly.

“Nuh-uh-uh, I do not like that.” Negan’s voice echoed and she looked up to see him stood in the shadows, watching her. “He’s already got his hands on my Lucille, I can’t be lettin’ him have both my ladies. Come on darlin’ you can show me how you handle a dangerous weapon.” The innuendo coated his tone and made her cheeks colour as she met Rick’s eyes, he nodded minutely, telling her to do as she was told.

As always, she followed her leaders orders.

She bit her lip hard as Negan draped his leather clad arm over her shoulder and shot a look at Rick before letting her lead him to the guns.

He soon got bored of watching his men count guns and so made his way outside with Rick. She stayed with Olivia, offering moral support as the strangers surrounded her and whilst most were men, one woman in particular seemed to have a stick up her ass.

“They don’t add up.” The woman glared. “You can explain this to Negan.”

The woman moved to grab Olivia and Emilia immediately grabbed her wrist. “You don’t want to do that.” She warned, hating the way Olivia cowered away from these lowlife bullies.

“You don’t want to do that.” She mimicked in a terrible attempt at an english accent whilst her other men laughed. “Yeah? And are you gonna fucking stop me you stupid bitch?” The woman’s lip curled up in contempt as she pushed Olivia backward. Emilia watched her stumble and land hard on the floor, her cry of pain was the final trigger and she finally unleashed the anger that had been building within her since hearing what had happened that night. Emilia drove her elbow up into the other woman’s face and heard a satisfying crunch as she made impact with her nose.

“Ungh!” The woman grunted, her hands going up to her bleeding nose. “Somwub fucking holb her!”

Three men descended on her and Emilia threw her head backward, connecting with the face of whoever had tried to restrain her. They let go in shock and she crouched, sweeping her foot on the ground to knock the other two of balance. She stamped her foot down on the eye socket of the biggest man, enjoying his scream as he rolled over and clutched at his head.

Unfortunately the noise had attracted the attention of Negan’s remaining men and they descended on her en masse. She couldn’t fight them all and It took five to restrain her as the woman with the broken nose repeatedly punched her, splitting her lip and making her jaw throb.

They dragged her upstairs along with Olivia and she heard Rick and Negan’s conversation halt as she was forced in front of them.

“Arat we don’t do that, unless they do something to deserve it.” His voice held something, anger perhaps? She couldn’t tell, the throbbing of her jaw took away most of her thought process. At least she knew the name of the coward who’d had to have her restrained to hit her.

“Yeah, do you call breaking my nose something to deserve it?” Arat removed her hand to show the stream of blood and crooked break in her bone.

“Ouch…” Negan leant in closer, his eyes moved over me and the five men who were having a difficult time restraining me. “She did that to you?”

“I paid her back.” Arat said proudly and Emilia spat blood at her feet, her eyes sparking with fury.

“Only after I’d taken three of you out and you had to get five of these morons to restrain me so you could actually get a hit in. Lets go now, one on one and we’ll see who pays who back.”

Negan’s brows narrowed and his tongue passed over his teeth thoughtfully. “Let her go. Now.”

The hands immediately let go and she fell to the ground, grimacing as her knees met the gravel. His boots appeared in her field of view and she looked up to see him offering her his gloved hand. She took it and stood, aware of the blood dribbling down her chin but she was more concerned about keeping her legs from shaking after the adrenaline come-down.

Negan seemed fascinated as he watched, his dark eyes holding something she couldn’t read as his bare thumb wiped at the split in her lip. She grimaced at the sting and his eyes shot back to hers.

“Three of my men? Well Duchess, I can see I underestimated you. Arat what do you say? I myself wouldn’t mind watching a little girl-on-girl action.” He grinned with barely suppressed glee but his eyes scanned her jaw as he took her chin in his thumb and forefinger to get a better look.

“Sir?…” Arat sounded confused, fearful and reluctant.

“No, of course you don’t want to. Because you know that you’d fuckin’ lose. What started this Duchess?” He turned back to Emilia, indicating toward her face with his large, tanned hand. He clearly liked the new nickname he’d thought of for her, seeing as he’d used it twice in the last two sentences. She licked her dry lips, appreciating the sting of pain and taste of blood as it helped her gather herself. Negan however seemed more fascinated with the sight of blood on her tongue, his eyes watched her mouth intently.

“She went to grab Olivia. I told her not to touch her. She then asked me what I was going to do about it, I took that as an invitation to show her.” Negan chuckled appreciatively and his tongue swiped over his lips, mimicking hers, before he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and lead forward.

“I really fuckin’ like you Duchess. Don’t tell them though, Rick might get jealous.” He whispered in her ear and as he pulled back he flashed her that wide grin. He then turned to Arat who told him that the guns were short, which was why she had been bringing Olivia up.

What happened after was a blur, she could hear he was pissed, threatening to kill Olivia, but she didn’t have much strength left after what had just happened. How had she gotten so weak, living behind these walls? Olivia whimpered as Negan approached her, his threatening tone made it clear what his intentions were. Emilia tried to step forward but her limbs shook and the world shifted around her. When she expected to meet the hard floor, strong arms came around her and a waft of leather hit her as her face pressed against the cool material.

“I knew i’d sweep you off your feet.” He whispered against her cheek before turning to talk to Rick, whilst hoisting her bridal style into his arms. She was pleased to hear he was giving Rick time to speak to the others, to find the missing guns. But unhappy to hear that she and Olivia would be remaining with Negan whilst that happened.

She pushed her hands against his strong chest as he walked away from Rick with her in his arms, Olivia following behind meekly, her head bowed over her ever present clipboard.

“Put me down, I can walk.” She said through clenched teeth, her jaw throbbed painfully as she spoke.

“I’ve no doubt of that sweetheart, but I enjoy carryin’ you.” The suggestive tone in his voice made her cheeks flush and she was grateful he couldn’t see from his vantage point. “Up close and personal…” He breathed, bathing her in the scent peppermint and whisky again. She tried not to think about his fingertips on her side, she could feel the heat of his hand through the thin cotton of her tank top and he seemed to be tracing circles over her ribcage. She tried to reach for the disgust she had felt upon their first meeting, but to her irritation it seemed to have momentarily fled.

She was grateful when they reached the house Negan had chosen, though he seemed reluctant to let her down.

“Hm, maybe we should walk round again…” He murmured as he looked disapprovingly at the couch, she’d had enough of his hands on her and his grip tightened as she pushed at his chest again, this time forcing him to let her down. Her legs felt much more stable beneath her and she glared at him, his eyes flicked from hers down to her lips and he smirked at her.


	3. Part 3

A/N: For anyone interested I'm also on fanfiction . net under the same penname and on Tumblr as yourslovinglecter where I tend to update this story first, along with the accompanying artwork I have created for it. Head over to https://www.tumblr.com/blog/yourslovinglecter if you're interested in seeing it. 

 

“Olivia.” He raised his voice only slightly, but poor Olivia jumped, letting out a frightened squeak as she clung to her clipboard. “Go get somethin’ to fix up the lady’s lip.” 

As Olivia scurried away he stepped closer, his eyes half lidded as he bent his head to hers. “Though i’d be happy to kiss it all better for you right now, if you’re up for it.” 

“You’re disgusting.” She sneered and Negan leaned back and clutched his hands to his chest mockingly. 

“Oh Duchess, you’ll break my heart.” His eyes traced her body admiringly and he sat down on the couch, tapping the space next to him with a deliberate flourish. 

She forced herself to sit, her posture was rigid as he threw his arm across the back of the floral couch, his fingers grazed her shoulder. 

“So tell me, where in the UK are you from?” He asked and she shot him a condescending glare. He raised a single brow in warning and so she sighed and answered.

“London. Are we indulging in small talk now?” 

“Huh.” He leaned back as he observed her. One hand toying with Lucille as it rested against the arm of the couch. “London. So a real Duchess then?” 

She rolled her eyes feeling exasperated. He’d be asking if she’d had tea with the Queen next. “Not everyone from London is royalty.” 

“No.” He whispered, leaning in and taking that lock of hair in his fingers again. “But you most certainly are.” He grinned again, that disarmingly charming smile that had her looking away from him. Someone like him, she thought, who had done the things he had and was capable of such horror, shouldn’t have a smile like that.

Thankfully the swift footsteps alerted her to Olivia’s arrival, with antiseptic and a cotton pad in hand. She bent toward Emilia before a large, tanned hand intercepted her. 

“I got it, thank you Olivia!” Olivia seemed a bit off balance as Negan took the supplies from her. She gathered herself and let out a watery sniff, before taking a seat at the table in the corner of the room. 

“This is gonna sting like a bitch darlin’.” He said as he shook the bottle and placed more antiseptic on the pad. He put the bottle on the table and took her chin in his thumb and forefinger again, just as he had when examining the initial damage, this time holding her still as he dabbed at the cut. 

He was surprisingly gentle but it still stung like hell. She remained still and didn’t say a word. If letting him play nurse meant that he was leaving Olivia alone then she vowed to endure it. 

“There, much better. Though it might be a little swollen for a while. No kissing for you, doctors orders!” There was that smile again accompanied with a wink, then suddenly his expression darkened as he continued. “I’ll be sure to tell Rick he needs to respect my professional diagnosis.” 

She frowned in confusion as she looked at him, he was staring at her intently as though he was waiting for a confirmation of something. “Rick and I aren’t-” She broke off mid sentence, changing her mind. She didn’t need to justify herself to this maniac and she wouldn’t put Michonne in the firing line by revealing their relationship.

“No?” He seemed genuinely intrigued as he used the other side of the pad to wipe away the dried blood which had trailed down her neck to her collarbone. “Well, that tender little scene I witnessed earlier had me believing otherwise. Especially seeing as he was so keen for me to stop flirtin’ with you.” 

“That’s just Rick, he’d do that for any of the women.” Negan discarded the cotton pad and sat back, his fingertips grazing her shoulder again as he contemplated her words. 

“I wonder how they’re gettin’ on… Who d’ya reckon took ‘em? My money’s on the jumped up little prick who opened the gate. What’s his name… Steven, Stuart?” 

“Spencer.” She ground out, feeling fury bubble up again. If it had been him she’d kill him herself. The little weasel.

“Ohh… Not him then.” Negan watched her reaction to the name carefully and rubbed his face with his hand, his beard scratching against the leather glove. “Ok I give up guessing! So who is your boyfriend?” 

Her eyes flicked to him for a moment in confusion as she forgot to keep her rigid posture, her tone was both condescending and sarcastic when she spoke. “Excuse me?” 

“I’m interested.” He shrugged his shoulders and his eyes drifted to Olivia, some twisted realisation lit in his eyes. “Unless you’re…” He paused, pointing with his gloved hand between the two women. “I mean that’d be totally cool if you were, you know… I mean you’re a little outta her league.” He leaned into her side and whispered this from the corner of his mouth in a hushed manner, as if divulging a secret. 

“I’m straight.” Emilia said coldly, hating the look of self disgust on Olivia’s face. “So is Olivia.” 

“Fan-fucking-tastic.” He said, looking right at her before he swiftly stood from his seat. “I need a little fresh air ladies. Lets go take a seat outside, it’s such a lovely day!” 

Both women glanced at each other as Negan swung Lucille up to rest on his shoulder and sauntered outside, expecting them to follow. Which of course, they did. 

Negan directed them to the picnic table and chairs which were set up on the small patio, once Olivia was seated he took the chair beside her and draped his arm over the back of her shoulders, stretching his long legs out in front of him. She told herself she was glad to be away from him, but felt sorry for Olivia, who currently had Negan pressed against her side and conflicting emotions on her features. She was so easy to read, which was why Negan was tormenting the poor woman. She wasn’t used to being the focus of attention, especially the attention of a broad shouldered, well muscled, tall and masculine psychopath. Emilia could tell Olivia felt flattered at the attention, the deep red blush which had suffused her face was evidence enough of that. 

Emilia turned where she stood, unable to witness how he was affecting poor Olivia, she folded her arms across her chest as she looked up to the window of the nearest house, the curtain moved and the familiar piercing blue eyes of her leader were visible for a split second. It only took her moments to realise whose house that was and that Rick had come to the same conclusion as Negan, and so was searching Spencer’s home. 

She clenched her jaw in fury at the thought of Spencer double crossing them, she knew he had it in for Rick. He was a spoiled little boy who thought he knew best. She knew only too well that people like him didn’t last very long in this world now. He was spineless and a coward and she despised him.

She had tuned out most of what Negan was saying to Olivia, mostly because he was baiting her and deliberately trying to make her uncomfortable, that was until his raised voice caught her attention and she turned back to him as he called out. 

“Am I borin’ you sweetheart?” He asked her, his espresso eyes showed a brewing storm as he observed her. He leaned forward, removing his arm from around Olivia as he pushed off his knees to stand, picking Lucille up as he sauntered toward her. 

“Actually, don’t answer that. Knowin’ you you’ll probably say yes…” He leaned sideways, his much taller, broader form casting a shadow over her. “And that’ll just break my heart.” 

“You keep talking about your heart like you actually have one.” She said, unable to keep the thought to herself which had occurred to her the first time he had mockingly clutched at his own chest. 

“Ohhh! Straight in the nutsack!” He jolted backward, looking at her with barely suppressed glee. He smirked again, one side of his mouth tilting upward to showcase those even, white teeth again. “We’re gonna have fun Duchess, I can tell.” 

He took in a deep breath and surveyed the area around him. His body language was always so at ease, she noted, like he was so unfazed and unthreatened, it screamed alpha male and dominance and she had quickly realised since meeting him why everyone feared him so much.

“Come on girls.” His deep, rough voice intruded on her observations. “Let’s go see how ol’ Rick is doing with his search.” 

They followed him from the patio to the road out front. He opened the connecting side gate and motioned them through ahead of him in an act of chivalry so brutally at odds with what he was capable of that the thought made her dizzy.

His men were loading up their haul onto the large vans they had brought with them, Emilia cringed as she saw their chairs, mattresses, guns and most other furniture piled high inside. She glared sideways at Negan, who was watching her expression closely with a smirk on his face. Then Rick was approaching, a small corded bag in his hand. This diverted Negan who turned away from her to face the other man, his hands taking the bag as he asked. 

“What’chu got for me Rick?” He opened it and looked down, a dark chuckle left him as he continued. “Well would’ya look at that, they were here after all.”

He turned to Rick, leaning sideways again as if to emphasise his height advantage as he sought to catch Rick’s gaze, she noticed a vein in Negan’s tanned neck pulsate as he spoke. “Funny how a little ‘Holy shit somebody’s gonna die!’ lights a fire under everybody’s ass.”

Olivia whimpered and Emilia clenched her jaw and closed her eyes momentarily in frustration at the her weakness. Now Negan’s attention was back on them as he stood next to Rick.

“Tell me Rick, which one of your fine folks almost cost Olivia the rest of her days?” Rick kept his eyes on Emilia, refusing to look at Negan as he answered.

“Doesn’t matter anymore-” He Rick began, but was quickly cut off by Negan.

“No! It matters, see you need to get everybody on board.” He sent a pointed glance Emilia’s way as he repeated “Everybody.” 

“Or we just go right back to square one.” He handed the bag to the man with the scarred face, Dwight she thought his name was, who was stood next to the truck. They loaded the final weapons up and pulled the large metal door down, shutting their belongings away for good. 

Negan banged his leather clad fist on the iron twice, she felt Olivia jump beside her, the engine started and the trucks rolled their way down the hill and outside the gate. Negan gestured that they all followed him as he walked his way down, looking around in apparent enjoyment at his surroundings. 

“Helluva place you got here Rick.” He gestured with open arms and turned to them, his eyes lingering on Emilia before looking to Rick. 

She watched as Rick glanced to their left and she followed his gaze to see Michonne stood in the broken window of one of the outbuildings, an animal slung over her shoulders. Her gaze went quickly back to Rick as he asked Negan to give him a second, she frowned as she wondered what he was thinking. 

Negan rocked on his heels and his eyes narrowed as he turned around to follow their gazes, Michonne quickly ducked away from his line of sight

“No…” He spoke softly and with a smile, she could tell by his tone he was waiting for something and she ground her teeth in frustration as Rick sighed, she could almost feel him swallowing his pride as he looked up. 

“Please..” He ground out. “Can you just give me a second.” He raised his eyes to Negan and she saw the taller man’s lip twitch in a smirk as he got exactly what he wanted. Negan nodded once as he smiled at Rick, again winning the power play between them, who quickly took off toward the outbuilding still holding Lucille. 

She followed him with her eyes until he disappeared inside, again leaving her with Negan, whose eyes were roaming her from head to toe. He leant back against the car behind him and folded his arms, one hand, the gloved one, raised to his face as he stroked his bearded jaw in thought. 

They remained in almost silence in Rick’s absence, with Negan merely observing her and humming an unrecognisable tune. She refused to move, to break eye contact and so she stared him down, aware of the twitch of his lips as he enjoyed their stand off. 

She only broke eye contact when Rick came back, Lucille still in his hands and Michonne storming ahead of him. Her eyes flicked back to Negan who was eyeing the new development in consideration. 

“Look at this!” He crowed as Michonne stormed passed him, deer draped over her shoulders toward the last van belonging to The Saviours, only faltering in her step when she saw Daryl.

“I thought she was scavenging but she was hunting.” Rick’s voice drew her attention and Emilia watched in disbelief as he held out the uncatalogued rifle to be taken by Negan. “This one never came inside, we kept it near the line.”

Negan seemed thrilled whilst she was stunned, there was no need for that and she didn’t understand why he had given them the last weapon they had. Her faith in her leader shook for a moment as Negan looked the gun over. 

“This is somethin’ to build a relationship on! Good for you Rick, this is reading the room and gettin’ the message! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.” He leaned sideways and pointed toward Rick with the rifle. “You sir, are special.”

“Now that you know we can follow your rules…” Rick began and Negan pivoted on his foot, his head tilted as he spoke. She knew what he was trying to do and she wanted to tell him not to give Negan the satisfaction, but her heart ached at the thought of her friend stuck with these animals.

“Yeeees?” He drew out, his eyes darkening with warning as if he almost knew what was coming next. 

“I’d like to ask you if Daryl can stay.” Emilia looked back to Negan to see his reaction. He smirked and shook his head once. 

“Not happenin’.” Then his mouth turned down in contemplation as he appeared to change his mind. “You know what, I don’t know. Maybe Daryl can plead his case. Maybe… Daryl can sway me?” 

They all turned to look at Daryl, his head was bowed and now she could she fully took him in. He looked worse than she’d ever seen him, he was sickly pale and his hair stringy and lifeless. His face was an amalgamation of black and blue bruises and she felt her hatred for The Saviours consume her as he only bowed his head in submission and remained silent. 

“Daryl?” Negan prodded, a large self satisfied smile stretching his lips. He chuckled at the silence and turned back to Rick. “Well, you tried! Now what you gotta do is get over that tall wall of yours and try harder out there. Earn for me. Cause we’re coming back soon and when we do you better have somethin’ interesting for us… Or Lucille, she’s gonna have her way.

“I want you to hear that again.” He leaned into Rick again, enjoying it as the other man turned away from him, submitting to his dominant body language. “If you don’t have something interesting for us… Somebody’s gonna die… And no more magic guns.” 

“Alright!” Negan turned on his heel, his back to Rick again and his tone suddenly jovial. “It’s gettin’ late, grab that deer and lets go home.” 

Michonne threw the deer from her shoulders, glaring at Negan and Emilia couldn’t help it as she huffed out a soft laugh. Only Michonne could deposit a dead deer with so much attitude. 

Negan span on his heel to look at her, answering her quickly fading smile with a large, cocky grin of his own. “Well, darlin’ I do believe that’s the first smile I seen outta you since I got here. Since it’s such a pretty smile I’ll let your friend there get away with the way she’s lookin’ at me. If she’s still lookin’ at me like that when I turn around again… Well even your pretty little face wont stop Lucille makin’ sure she can’t ever look at me like that again.” 

Emilia quickly glanced to Michonne, who grit her teeth in disgust and lowered her eyes, quickly walking back the way she came and as she passed Negan, her eyes averted from him, he laughed and pumped his fist once in victory. 

“Man, I love a gal that buys me dinner and doesn’t expect me to put out!” Negan chuckled in Rick’s ear as they watched Michonne leave, those dark eyes slid over to Emilia and he winked at her once before he spoke again to Rick. 

“So nobody died… And you know what I think, I think you and I refined our understanding. Lemme ask you somethin’ Rick. You want me to go?” He stood face to face with Rick now, no longer stooping but showcasing his full height and build. This was the first time she realised that she’d seen him in all his ‘glory’… For the first time he wasn’t relaxed, leaning to and fro or using his body language to show just how unthreatened he was. For the first time he had drawn himself up and she realised just how tall and broad he was, at least 6 ft 2 she thought. 

“I think that’d be good.” Rick drawled, his face pale and drawn. He looked so much smaller in comparison, so beaten and broken. 

Negan smiled. “Then just say those two magical words!”

Rick looked down to his feet, grinding his teeth together as he stepped forward once. His voice was low, but not low enough that Emilia and Negan’s men didn’t all hear him when he said it. 

“Thank you.” 

Negan’s posture relaxed and he leant back and chuckled along with his men, his hands in his pockets as he responded. “Don’t be ridiculous, thank you.”

Emilia watched, feeling the tension in the air. A beat passed and a shuffling, gurgling sound came from between the vehicles behind Negan. 

“Another one! You need our help.” He spoke condescendingly to Rick before turning to one of his men. “Davy, hand me that candlestick over there.” 

“You know what I think Rick, I think we’re both gonna come outta this winners. Watch my form!” Negan span on his heel, candlestick in hand as he raised it over his head. Emilia glanced to Rick to see his gaze darkening, his fist clenching rhythmically around the handle of the weapon which had bludgeoned two of their group to death. She was sure he was considering the poetic justice of beating Negan’s head in with Lucille.

She waited. Negan brought the Candlestick down on the walkers head and sighed in satisfaction as it caved inward and the body collapsed, he stood, waiting with his back to Rick. Almost daring him to act. A moment passed and Rick stepped back, lowering his head again as Negan finally turned, discarding the weapon to his left. 

“Ye-up. Win, win.” He levelled his dark eyes on Rick, his eyes said he was fully aware of what Rick had been about to do, and it only made his power greater that he hadn’t. “Clean that up for me for next time. Lets move out.” He walked passed Rick as his men made their way to their vehicles before he suddenly stopped. 

“Oh wait…” He chuckled, spinning and looking at Rick again. “How careless of me! You didn’t think I was gonna leave Lucille did you? I mean after what she did I wouldn’t think you’d want her… Thank you for being so accommodating my friend.” His tone was mocking as he leant down and took Lucille from Rick’s barely there grip. 

He looked at Emilia once more, licking his lips before speaking again to torment their leader, to humiliate him one final time before he departed. “In case you haven’t caught on, I just slipped my dick down your throat… and you thanked me for it.”

Rick’s eyes were still averted but she saw him blink as his emotions almost broke free from his stone wall facade. Negan turned away and stepped into the van, his eyes now wholly on Emilia as the engine started up. 

“Until next time, Duchess.” He watched her for a moment, as if committing her to his memory and she scowled at him fiercely in return. He laughed, flashing those perfect white teeth as he winked at her one final time, before turning to face the road as the final van left Alexandria.


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

The Sanctuary/The Saviours

He rolled his shoulders and grinned as a tingle shot up his spine, whilst leaning forward in the passenger seat he re-angled the rear view mirror to watch her. Dwight shot him a look from the drivers seat, but didn’t dare question him and refocused his eyes on the road.

He rubbed a gloved thumb over Lucille’s handle as he saw Emilia watch the trucks go before she turned to Rick, placing one of her small hands upon his back. The smile fell from Negan’s face and his jaw jumped as he flexed it in anger, he watched from the growing distance as Rick turned to her and embraced her, his head resting atop her chestnut hair.

He was unaware he had growled in irritation until Dwight looked at him again and uttered a quiet “Boss?” In question.

He returned the rear view mirror to its original position and reclined in his seat, his eyes unfocussed on the road ahead. He could feel Dwight’s curiosity coming from him in waves and he sighed and rotated his head to face the man, scarred side on, he admired his handiwork for a moment before speaking.

“You gotta question you wanna ask me Dwight?” He felt his fury bubbling deep within his chest. Any rise he had gotten from Rick, any victory his submission had given him, had all been snatched away as he’d watched their embrace.

Dwight must have heard that in his tone for he gulped once and gripped hard onto the steering wheel. “I was just wonderin’ why you didn’t bring her with you.”

Negan’s jaw flexed again and as her face flashed in his minds eye he swiped his lower lip with his tongue. “The Duchess?”

Dwight’s brow furrowed as he glanced sideways at him. “Err, the one who beat on Arat. I don’t know her name. The English bitch.”

Negan’s grip on Lucille suddenly tightened and his gaze darkened further. He looked up in the rearview to see they were a considerable distance away from Alexandria and made his decision.

“Stop the fucking van.” His voice was quiet. Deadly. Lucille was begging for a taste of flesh, even if it was the twisted, charred kind. When Dwight didn’t immediately obey he yelled again in his mangled ear, leaning forward. “STOP THE FUCKING VAN.”

The brakes emitted a high pitched whine and the tyres squealed as Dwight jumped and slammed the breaks on fast. The vehicles behind followed suit, but no one was stupid enough to come up and ask why.

He could see Dwight’s hands shaking even as they gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white.

“What. Did. You. Call. Her?” He leaned forward emphasising every word, his elbow was now propped upon Dwight’s shoulder as he ground the words out into his mutilated ear.

“I-I’m sorry Boss. I-” Suddenly Negan moved, his much larger frame pushing against Dwight, his elbow was lodged under his chin, forcing him back with a loud bang into the window. The force of the impact cracked the glass and Dwight wheezed as his air supply was cut off by Negan’s large forearm.

“Be careful Dwighty boy.” His voice was deep and rough with fury and Dwight was too afraid to meet his eyes. Too afraid he’d see the same look he’d seen there when the hot iron had approached his skin.

Then as quickly as he had moved he was back in place again, nonchalantly tapping his fingers on Lucille’s handle as he whistled a tune and looked out the window as if nothing had happened. Dwight rubbed at his neck as he sat up, his chest heaving with terrified gasps, and released the hand break.

Once they were moving again Negan spoke, his tone devoid of the fury Dwight had just been witness to.

“Her name is Emilia.” His voice caressed the name as if enjoying the taste of it in his mouth. “And I didn’ bring her back yet because when I do, it will be because she chose it.”

Dwight frowned again, worried about inciting Negan’s wrath again but also not quite understanding what he meant. “You think she’ll come voluntarily?”

Negan chuckled, his dark, rich tone filling the air around them. “Oh I know she will. I’ll just need to give her a little nudge in the right direction.”

Dwight kept his eyes on the road, probably wondering what plan Negan was concocting, but he most certainly wasn’t brave enough to ask.

Once they reached The Sanctuary Negan was quick out of the vehicle, swinging Lucille beside him as he barked orders to the men unloading their loot. As he made his way past the walkers out front, deliberately not breathing through his nose so he didn’t catch their rotten stench, everyone who saw him dropped to their knees. He couldn’t remember when that had begun, but he liked it, it gave him power over them and showed newcomers what behaviour was expected of them.

The sudden kneeling continued as he made his way through the halls, Lucille firmly gripped in his hand, he ignored anyone he may come across as he made his way to his office. Once he closed the door behind him he laid Lucille on the couch and poured himself a drink from the crystal decanter which was always kept filled to the top on his desk. He raised the whiskey to his mouth and took a deep drink, once he had swallowed he released the breath he felt as though he had been holding since he’d first seen her.

He didn’t miss a thing and certainly hadn’t missed her as she’d bashed her way past fat Joey on her way out of Rick’s house. Hm, what had she been doing in there anyway? She’d told him they weren’t a thing but they seemed awfully fucking close to him.

She had been a breath of fucking fresh air in that place and he’d be lying if he didn’t admit to wanting to fuck her as soon as he’d seen her. But then she’d approached them and looked at him with such disgust that is interested was piqued beyond that. Hell as soon as she’d fuckin’ talked he knew he was screwed. That voice. That accent.

She had held herself like fucking royalty and his brain had immediately coined her ‘The Duchess’. She was too badass for ‘Princess’ and deserved far more than his regular phrase of ‘doll’.

He chuckled to himself quietly as he took another drink, letting the whisky burn his through as he recalled her first words to him.

‘Go fuck yourself.’

She really was something and he wanted her bad. He’d very nearly done as Dwight suggested, swooped her up and stolen her for himself, but he knew he had to be patient. She may not realise it but his charm had worked, he knew he was a charismatic motherfucker naturally, but when he put real effort into it… Hell even the larger chick had been creaming her pants for him.

Though that was probably due to her not seeing a lot of action. He’d bet The Duchess saw plenty.

His dark brows furrowed as he tried to get that picture out of his brain, he couldn’t think of her in that type of situation with any man. Which drove home to him just how screwed he was. He’d been in Alexandria, in her company for a couple hours and here he was jealous over her imaginary conquests.

He drained his glass and slammed it on the table. And to think he had to wait a whole week before he could see her again. He thought of her gleaming chestnut hair and her stormy blue eyes, he was sure a bruise would be coming up on that smooth cheek of hers, her heart shaped face would be marred by purple, green and blue and her perfect little lower lip would swell.

He smirked slowly to himself as he turned and look at Lucille in contemplation. He picked her up and made his way out of the door, he had things to do, besides perhaps they could pay a visit to Alexandria a little earlier than planned to keep Rick on his toes. Of course that would bring the added benefit of seeing her a little sooner.

And in the meantime he had the resource right in these very walls to try and find out more about his Duchess. 

It turned out that said resource was galvanised from seeing his boyfriend Rick and had been pounding away at his cell door for hours. He’d had to have a conversation with Dwight about that. Even tried to tempt him with Sherry… He hadn’t caved, but also hadn’t accepted the invitation the fuck anyone else willing. Then showing what a good boy he was, ran off to do grunt work and left fat Joey in charge of Daryl, after Dwight had left Negan went to have a conversation with his favourite prisoners current babysitter.

“Boss!” Joey dropped to his knees quickly, his considerable weight making a loud thud and one of Negan’s eyes squinted in an almost wince as he thought about the pain that would have caused his knee.

“Get up fat Joseph, I want to test whether our guest is gettin’ the way things fuckin’ work around here.” He swung Lucille so she balanced on his shoulder. Joey glanced between her and Negan in fear, sweat breaking out on his upper lip.

He watched from afar as Joseph left the door unlocked and walked around the corner, pursed his lips and sighed in disappointment as Daryl made a break for it. He followed from a distance, bemused at his escape attempt until he glanced around a corner and saw Sherry whispering into his ear. All amusement vanished as rage descended, he watched intrigued as she told him to go back, told him it could get worse.

Damn fucking right it could, and would for her if she wasn’t honest with him.

He remained where he was as Daryl fled round the corner, heard her heels click on the floor as she approached, she came round the corner and slammed straight into his chest. He didn’t put his hands out to steady her as she stumbled but instead remained impassive as he looked at her.

“Why hello, my darlin’ wife.” Irony laced the word and her eyes shot up to his. She wasn’t dumb by any means but it took a little longer than he would have expected for her to get it. When understanding finally lit her eyes he only quirked a questioning eyebrow at her and rocked on his heels, Lucille still balanced on his shoulder and his other hand in his pocket.

“Daryl is out.” She said reluctantly. “He went that way.” She pointed behind her and Negan only nodded once as he looked over her appearance.

“You look like a schoolgirl in that sundress, go fuckin’ change it.” He barked and stormed past her as she flinched backward. He knew why he was being an asshole to her. Her eyes held only fear and resignation, not the fire and defiance he had seen only hours earlier in those stormy blue eyes which he was sure would stay with him. That sundress would have been perfectly acceptable to him in the hours before he’d seen Emilia in her white tank top and those tight camo pants which were perfectly moulded to her ass and thighs, leading down to her black leather boots.

He stood for a moment and closed his eyes at the memory, tracing every curve in his minds eye. Boy was he glad she hadn’t seen fit to zip up her jacket.

He jolted back to himself as he heard a door slam and continued on his way outside. He was really fucking disappointed in Daryl, but maybe he still had a chance to redeem himself.

Negan whistled as he walked slowly up to the circle of his man surrounding Daryl. He’d made it as far as the bikes, but the keys weren’t kept in them so had never stood a chance of getting away on one.

He meandered his way into the centre of the circle, like he had all the time in the world. He held Daryl in his gaze and smirked as he swung Lucille to his side and asked “Who are you?”

Fat Joey answered immediately “Negan.”

“Who aaare you?” He pointed her over his shoulder at whoever stood behind him, his eyes never wavering from Daryl as the answer came from behind. “Negan.”

“Who are ya?” He held both hands out to his sides and bounced once in apparent glee.

A chorus of “Negan” echoed around them and a self satisfied smirk bloomed on his face.

“You see that? I am everywhere and this was your shot to prove to me that that fundamental fact was sinking in, and you failed. Which sucks as your life was about to get so much cooler!” He remained facing Daryl but spoke to Fat Joey when he asked “Isn’t that right?”

“Damn right.” Fat Joey repeated, a conceited, sly smirk turning the corners of his mouth up.

“Now Dwight gave you some options.” Negan said feeling both impressed and irritated by Daryl’s composure. “I don’t think you get it yet so I’m gonna break it down for you. One, you wind up on the spike and you work for me as a dead man. Two you get outta your cell and you work for points but you’re gonna wish you were dead, or three… You work for me, you get yourself a brand new pair of shoes and you live like a king! Choice should be pretty obvious, you should know, there is no door number four. This is it. This is the only way.”

Nothing.

Negan sucked his teeth thoughtfully. “Fair enough if you haven’t quite made your mind up yet, it’s a big decision, I understand. But i’m feeling generous so I’m willing to give you a little more time to think… Perhaps in a better room with food beside dog meat sandwiches? If you can give me some information.”

The men around Daryl briefly glanced at their leader, they hadn’t heard this part before. This little test was usually part and parcel of breaking someone, at this point most people agreed to join or went back into their cells listening to ‘Easy Street’ on repeat until they cracked. No one else had been offered more comfortable lodgings whilst they made up their mind in exchange for information. Whatever it was, the boss must want it bad.

“Yeah?” Daryl asked, lifting his chin defiantly as he glared at Negan through his swollen eyes and unwashed hair. “What you wanna know?”

Negan span on his heel and chuckled, swinging Lucille around with him. “Emilia.” Negan watched Daryl carefully and he saw the younger mans reaction, saw his eyes narrow and his jaw clench. “I wanna know everythaang there is to know about her. You willin’ to trade?”

It seemed even the mention of her name had injected more courage into Daryl and Negan felt his blood began to boil again, maybe he had her lover right here… He could open up the position in one fell swoop if that was the case. Everyone could see Daryl wasn’t going to talk, his extended silence only confirmed this.

“Screw it.” Negan spat before taking Lucille in both hands and swinging hard and suddenly toward Daryl’s face. He didn’t even blink.

“Wow! You don’t scare easy! I love that. But Lucille…” He raised the barbed wire baseball bat under Daryls nose. “Well it kinda pisses her off, she finds it to be…” He waved her around as if he was searching for the right word. “disrespectful. Lucky for you she’s not feeling too thirsty today…”

“But I am.” Negan leaned close, whispering menacingly into Daryl’s ear, his face was stone cold fury and a weaker man may have crumbled. “So i’m gonna go get me a drink!”

He laughed as he turned away and made his way back inside the factory, whistling as he heard fists connecting with flesh as his boys took Daryl down. He was irritated that he hadn’t managed to get any further information on The Duchess, but he wasn’t surprised that she inspired such loyalty.

Hell he didn’t even know why he was suddenly so interested in her, maybe it was the thrill of the chase, or how she looked at him like she fucking despised him. But interested he was.


	5. Chapter 5

Alexandria

The days seemed as though they passed too quickly and reaped too little in the way of rewards for them. The outlying areas had already been picked clean and each time they ventured out it was a little farther. Today it was her turn and usually she would have been accompanied by Daryl…

Rick had tried to persuade her to take someone else, but in the end what it boiled down to was that she just didn’t trust anyone else to have her back. Michonne was off doing whatever it was she did nowadays, Rick was needed at the compound and Carol had vanished. She was just fine with Logan trotting along at her side, she trusted him with her life and she was used to it being just them. They worked better alone.

Daryl had fit right in with them, he was so quiet when they scavenged that it had barely felt like he was there. With Logan to her right and Daryl to her left she’d felt safe… She wasn’t prepared to let anyone else try to bond with Logan so that they could scavenge together.

He didn’t exactly like strangers.

She snorted to herself as they worked their way through the undergrowth. That was the understatement of the year. He was damn unsociable was what he was. He hated strangers, men especially.

He would tolerate woman, but barely. Most of the Alexandrians found him intimidating, which was why she had the house furthest away from the others, alone, with a very large garden. They felt much safer knowing he was there as opposed to roaming around their picture perfect suburb.

Daryl and Logan had come to an understanding, they stayed out of each others way, respected each other, and Logan tolerated him because he kept Emilia safe. Rick… Well Logan didn’t like Rick too much, growled at him quite often, most likely because of his unpredictable emotions. But Rick trusted the beast with his infant daughter-who Logan had taken to immediately. He knew when someone needed protecting and no one was more vulnerable than Judith.

She’d been stunned herself when he’d taken the protective stance over her the first time, when the psychopaths with W’s carved in their foreheads had stormed the compound. He’d ripped a few throats out of the living that day and even she had been impressed when they’d found him surrounded by bodies with Judith playing in the centre.

Rick had trusted him ever since.

They didn’t get on, but she didn’t think Logan would ever actually like another male. Especially around her, he was protective to the extreme and refused to allow men near her for the fear of fighting for her affection.

She didn’t mind. If anything she was grateful, It had kept her alive.

She heard him panting somewhere to her right and the soft snapping of twigs under his paws. She couldn’t see him but she knew he was there, flanking her should she need him. She didn’t have a vehicle with her because he wasn’t after a big haul, she had gone on foot because today was about walkers and the loot they carried.

Everyone in todays world had weapons on them and that’s what they needed. She figured that out of every 10 walkers she killed at least one should have a knife. Something they could use to replenish the stores Negan and his men had ransacked.

Her bow was slung over her shoulders, the makeshift arrows sticking out of her backpack. She’d done archery as a child and quickly realised the most easily resourced and replenish-able weapon was one which solely relied on nature to create. She’d had a crappy handmade bow when she’d met Rick’s group. It wasn’t anything spectacular, it had been thrown together in haste from a dead ash tree branch which she’d whittled down with a hunting knife and some knotted string. It had done the job but certainly could have been improved upon.

Then she’d met Daryl, he’d shared her affinity for arrows but she disliked the crossbow, preferring instead to use her longbow. That was until Daryl had one day presented her with the weapon she favoured now.

He’d tried to give her some bullshit about how he’d happened to find it, but she knew full well he must have travelled over a hundred miles to the old abandoned hunting lodge she herself had passed on her way to Alexandria. She hadn’t dared enter it because it seemed someone had shut a whole load of walkers in there, she wasn’t about to let them out and face twenty on her own… But she was sure that’s what Daryl had done to get her the bow she now had.

It was a thing of beauty really, and as her shot had improved she’d outgrown the last one. He’d even found 6 accompanying arrows in the lodge, which she recovered and reused where possible, just as he did. This was a black compound bow, lightweight and deadly and she adored it. She had even been thinking of naming it… That was until Negan had come along swinging Lucille and ruining that thought for her.

She paused as she heard a shuffling noise ahead and crouched low, she instinctively sensed that Logan had stopped too as they listened. She knew what it was before she heard the gurgle because Logan had started his low pitched warning growl, the type of noise that if directed at you would set every nerve ending on your body alight with fear.

“Shh.” She whispered and he stopped immediately, accepting the signal for what it was. She would take this one. If Negan’s visit had proven anything to her, it was that she had lost her edge behind those tall walls, she needed the practice.

She shifted her bow from over her back and held it gently in her hands, knocking an arrow she held it with her forefinger as she looked through the trees, waiting for her target to appear as the noises got closer. More shuffling and simultaneous gurgles were now heard, which informed her that it wasn’t just one walker. Four maybe?

Her eyes saw movement ahead and she pulled her bow taught, the arrow beside her cheek ready to fly. She let them come closer, feeling the tension in her arm and loving the familiar ache in her shoulder, this was where she belonged.

Three, four… Six. There were six of them, one for each arrow she had. She knew Logan would be flanking them, lying in wait should she need him, so she wasn’t afraid.

She let her arrow loose and cursed as it hit the tree trunk beside the closest walkers head with a thunk. They knew she was there now and became more agitated, stumbling toward her faster, their rotting arms outstretched.

She breathed deeply as she concentrated her focus, automatically reaching behind her for arrow after arrow as they closed in around her. They fell one by one, no match for her speed until she reached behind her to grab an arrow and groped at thin air. Her eyes shot to the tree trunk where her arrow was firmly lodged and so she threw her bow over her head and one arm as she simultaneously bent toward her boot where her hunting knife was concealed.

The walker tripped over the body of one of the others and pulled itself to its uncoordinated feet. It fell toward her and its weight and stench overwhelmed her as she fought to hold it off, her hand pushed against it’s chest cavity which gave way, the rotting flesh congealing around her fingers.

Shit

Shit, shit, shit!

Skin was hanging from its exposed jaw as teeth gnashed at her and decomposing fingers stretched forward like tentacles, determined to reach her.

She heard that all too familiar growl and let out a sigh of relief as it turned to a snarl and teeth snapped as Logan leapt onto the walkers back and pulled him over, leaping off just in time and moving out of its reach. He was crouched low, his ears pressed against his skull and his lip pulled back menacingly as he snarled, drool dripping from his exposed teeth which were now coated with blood.

She didn’t waste any time and closed her hand around the handle of her knife, removing it from her boot as she lunged forward and lodged it in the walkers temple. It stilled suddenly.

“Good… Boy.” She panted, ruffling him behind the ears as he approached, licking his lips as he dropped the snarl and his ears pointed back up as the danger passed. He shook himself off and moved closer to her, accepting the hand which she placed on his neck for support.

She made her way around each of the bodies, first collecting her arrows, if for any reason she needed to run they were her priority over whatever the bodies may be carrying. Once she had dislodged the final one from the tree about 15 yards away she returned to the bodies to search them.

They were at varying stages of decomposition and unsurprisingly the oldest walkers had nothing on them of worth. There were two which looked a little more recent though and so she ran her hands over the chest of the first one, a male. Her lip curled upward in disgust but it had to be done, she found an old photograph of a young girl in his chest pocket and looked at it sadly for a moment, before returning it to its place. His pants pocket held half a pack of cigarettes and matches. She didn’t smoke but she’d bet men in Negan’s crew did. She put them in her pack and searched his other pocket which yielded a small swiss army knife. She opened each mechanism one by one to check for rust and found none, it was perfect. Almost useless against walkers of course, but she was sure Negan and his men would appreciate it. She put that in her pack too.

She patted down his legs, disappointed to feel he had nothing else on him. She rolled him over just to make doubly sure. He was heavy and the more she’d gotten used to moving bodies, the quicker she’d realised where the term ‘dead weight’ had come from. She patted down his back and smiled as his shirt rumpled over something tucked into his waistband.

“Bingo.” She whispered as she pulled the shirt up to reveal a handgun tucked into his pants, she removed it and checked for ammo, half a clip.

Elation filled her and she looked up and grinned at Logan who was watching her with interest, his head tilting sideways when she spoke.

“We got something boy.”

She placed that in her bag, making a mental note to ask Rick about it. She wasn’t good with guns, she preferred her bow and knife and as such knew very little about them. She had been at a disadvantage here when this had all began, many Americans had a working knowledge of firearms but being from England she knew next to nothing, hell she’d never even touched one before she’d arrived in the land of the free.

She considered the footwear before she moved away and decided she didn’t like the thought of his foot decomposing in them and so left them where they were and moved onto the next one.

It was female, probably not much older than her from what she could tell. Probably hadn’t been a walker for more than a week. Emilia sighed as she dropped her head in sadness, her eyes lit upon the bite mark on the woman’s shoulder, guessing that was probably how she met her end.

Which was precisely why she kept her own shoulders covered when outside the walls, her jacket wasn’t exactly army standard in material strength but it would most certainly buy her more time to kill a walker trying to take a chunk out of her shoulder than nothing at all would. Logan’s cold wet nose nudged at her neck and she let out a soft huff of laughter, appreciating his attempt at uplifting her mood.

She felt so awful doing this. Looting the dead. But as Daryl had told her, they wouldn’t be needing anything they were carrying anymore.

With this thought at the forefront of her mind she removed the gold necklace which held a wedding ring, judging by the size and thickness it had belonged to a man. Emilia glanced down at the woman’s hand and saw the matching ring on her finger. She removed that too along with the simple single jewelled engagement ring which sat behind it.

“I’m so sorry…” She whispered, shaking her head as she put the jewellery in her pocket and zipped it up.

She looked at the woman face again as she patted her down, finding nothing else of value. She wondered where she had come from, she didn’t look as though she had been dead for very long and the speed which the walkers travelled she couldn’t have come from very far… Maybe she’d had a base or a group with supplies?

Emilia looked up at the sky, she estimated she had five, maybe six hours of sunlight left. Whilst she hadn’t expected to be away from home overnight, it could pay off for them. She licked her lips and flinched as her sore wound made itself known. She had seen how The Saviours acted and that was when they had plenty of supplies to take, she didn’t want to think about what would happen if they didn’t meet Negan’s quota.

“What do you say Logie? A couple of nights out in the wild for old times sake?” She looked at her companion who woof-ed softly in agreement. She knew he couldn’t understand her, but sometimes she really felt as though he did. She smiled at him and hoisted her pack over her shoulder, slinging her bow over her head and arm so that the wire rested diagonally on her sternum.

They walked for hours, taking out every walker they crossed. Usually she wouldn’t bother, but now they were desperately scavenging any supplies they could get and every little bit mattered. She’d collected a man’s wristwatch, a large hunting knife with a serrated blade and a couple bullets. Unfortunately no other guns.

The sun was starting to hang low in the sky so she dedicated her last couple of hours before darkness fell to finding them shelter. She had been hoping for some kind of building but she wasn’t that lucky, instead when light became scarce she settled for a small clearing in the trees and set up a perimeter, using industrial strength rope she’d brought along with her to wrap around the trees in a circle at shin level. Then she repeated these steps at stomach height and again at neck height, never once did she cut the rope, instead she just repeatedly wrapped it around the trunk, using the tension and her own weight to make it taught. When she was done she wrapped the remaining around the largest trunk and tied one of the strongest knots she knew, of course taught to her by Daryl.

Most of the skills she knew now had been taught to her by him, knots, tracking, making better arrows…

She tried not to think about him.

Her rope wall wouldn’t stop regular people, but she had Logan for that. It was just enough that she could get a couple hours of shut eye without worrying her face would be chewed off in her sleep. She doubted anyone would find her out here anyway as she refused to light a fire, she didn’t need it for food as she was currently chewing on half a granola bar and she most definitely didn’t need it for heat.

She looked down in amusement at the 50kg beast who was draped over her legs, making her lose all feeling in them but also warming her with his hot belly. She was being watched with large amber doe eyes and she laughed at his expression, when drool began pooling on her leg she wrapped up her remaining granola bar and opened her pack, feeling out for the large can of dog food.

His head lifted immediately and his ears perked up as he watched her pull the can open and stick her fingers inside.

“You can’t eat the whole tin.” She warned him, holding it slightly out of his reach as she fished around for roughly a quarter serving of the can. “We don’t know how long we need this to last.”

She offered her hand out with the measly portion and his large rough tongue descended on her open palm, swallowing the offering down in almost one gulp. She wiped the drool on her jacket once he had finished licking the residue from her fingers and returned the can to her pack.

“Sorry pup.” She said as she caught his pleading eyes and placed the pack behind her to rest on. A large muzzle rested itself on her shoulder as his hot breaths tickled her ear and she knew she was forgiven. She wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes, trying to forcefully evict the image of Negan which seemed to appear there at every opportunity.

When she awoke it was to the sound of Logan’s growls, by the weight on her chest she deduced he hadn’t actually moved off her yet so she peeled one itchy eye open and tried to see through the darkness.

She raised her hand to his neck and began gently stroking his fur, calming and quietening him so that she could hear whatever it was he was growling at. His head was up and looking behind her, she couldn’t move to try and see what it was without dislodging him which would make a whole lot of noise considering his size. Almost as though he knew what she was thinking and really didn’t like it, he quietly readjusted himself to lay fully over the top of her, his head descending so that she was now laying on her back, face first into his throat and had a mouth full of fur. He was so long and large that only her shins and boots stuck out from beneath him, but in this darkness that wouldn’t be seen.

She thought about shifting him but decided against it, he had made the choice for her and was pressed against her fully, shielding her from whatever it was. She listened as carefully as she could but her hearing was somewhat muffled by the 50 kilograms of canine which sat atop her.

Then she heard it, voices.


End file.
